With just hours to go before the Electoral Commission (EC) begins nominating candidates for parliamentary seats, several opposition parties have cleared nomination fees for more than 100 candidates each, while the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) is yet to release funds for most of its flag bearers.
Although the NRM has not yet fulfilled its pledge, party officials have promised to support their candidates during the campaign period once nominations are complete.
At the National Unity Platform (NUP) headquarters in Kampala, dozens of parliamentary aspirants were on Tuesday seen collecting receipts confirming payment of nomination fees ahead of the two-day nomination exercise, which kicks off on Wednesday, October 22, 2025.
According to NUP Secretary General David Lewis Rubongoya, the party has managed to support 120 candidates with partial or full payment of their nomination fees, despite ongoing financial constraints.
“We have paid nomination fees for 120 of our candidates, even with limited resources,” Rubongoya said. “Some aspirants who had earlier stepped aside due to lack of funds have now returned to the race. We believe our flag bearers will successfully go through the nomination process.”
The Democratic Party (DP) and the Democratic Front (DF) have also confirmed clearing nomination fees for over 100 aspirants each.
DP Secretary General Gerald Siranda said the party’s commitment is to ensure its flag bearers are not locked out of the process due to financial barriers.
“As a party, we agreed to stand with our members and help them meet the nomination requirements,” Siranda said. “We want to compete fairly and ensure representation across the country.”
DF Secretary General Michael Mabikke also revealed that his party had prioritized early payment to avoid the nomination rush.
Meanwhile, the People’s Front for Freedom (PFF) declined to reveal whether it had provided financial assistance to its flag bearers, only confirming that it helped them prepare before they face the Electoral Commission.
“We assisted our members with the registration process to ensure compliance,” said Kennedy Okello, the PFF Deputy Secretary.
While the opposition parties are racing to meet deadlines, the NRM, which was among the first to identify its parliamentary candidates, has yet to release nomination funds.
NRM spokesperson Emmanuel Dombo explained that the party has restructured its funding strategy following concerns over the misuse of funds in past elections.
“This time, we are being very deliberate,” Dombo said. “In previous elections, funds were mismanaged, so we have put new systems in place to ensure accountability before releasing money.”
Dombo added that the NRM intends to finance its candidates during the campaign period once all verifications are complete.
“Our support will come in stages,” he said. “We will stand by our candidates during campaigns and ensure they have what they need to win.”
While some parties have pledged to fully back their candidates financially until election day, others say their flag bearers will have to handle certain campaign logistics independently.
The Electoral Commission will conduct nominations for parliamentary candidates on October 22 and 23, marking a major step in preparations for the 2026 general elections.